Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-17
State AFFAIRS.
The Senate Special Committee on
the Judge Willis Investigation
Resumes Its Labors.
The Senate Substitute Land Bill Still
Enacted Upon by the House.
DrOuth Disbursements.
The House Discusses a Bill Providing
Agents to Aid In the Endorsements
of the Revenue Laws.

ENFORCEMENT OF THE REVENUE LAWS
/ Special to the Gazette.
AUSTIN, TEX, March l6.-A bill came
up for consideration in the House this
morning that proposes a law TO give dis,
| cretiOnarY powers to the Governor, when
ever he deems it necessary, to employ
competent agents, not to exceed three in
| number, to visit under the direction OF
the Governor any part of the state fol-
the purpose of seeing that the laws re-
curing persons dealing in interesting
! liquors have taken out their
license and complied with the
law These agents are further
empowered to demand for inspection he
certificate Of the collector of taxes for the
county in which he or they are doing busi-
ness. These agents also have power to
| examine the books of the tax collector if
they deem it necessary so to do. II after
| investigation into the business of any
| liquor dealer or inspection of any col
| lectOr's books they secure useful and
ut cessary Information for an Indictment
or information, they Will so report TO the
! Governor or Comptroller, 3nd give the
name or names Of the person
or ersOns who are violating the law.
giving the county, city or town
where such illegal or unauthorized bust
ness is carried on, and in adui ion to
! thereto, the agents shall preserve the
names of responsible witnesses to be fur
nished the attorney representing the
state in the prosecutions of any violations
under the occupation law for the sale Of
| n oil -
meanor for dealer to refuse TO sxhibiI
to the agent on demand the certificate If
| the tax collector under penalty OF a fine
of not less than $50 and not more than
! 5000. The tax collector also who refuses
on demand to furnish his books to the
agenc for inspec ion lays himself liable to
fine OF not less than $50 nor more than
| 500. For their services these agents
snail receive sum not to exceed $50
per month tor the time actually engaged
and all their reasonable necessary tx
pensts.
An ar endment offered for the purpose
| Of striking out that feature of the bill that
permitted prosecutions to be had in any
county OF the state, provoked a hearty
debate that was carried on until
the further consideration Of the bill
was postponed 10 give place to the
general land bill set as e special order.
The arguments Of the supporters of the
appointment Of agents to hip enforce
the law for the collection of taxes from
the liquor dealers, seemed TO be based
largely upon the alleged failure of the
collectors TO enforce the law, rs shown by
the recent investigation Of the Comptrol
ler's office, whereby the state was de-
fTauded out of large amount of her rev
enue. The opponents set forth the evil
tendencies fOreshadoWed in this system of
trying to enforce the penal Laws of our
state, pointing to the pernicious ex-
amples growing out OF this system
under the Republican rule in Texas.
Tney also held it to be gross injustice to
drag man out Of his own county to
some other county among strangers to be
tried, when the expense would be largely
increased, and the chances of q fair trial
less certain, because of the difficulty of
procuring testimony and the natural
prejudice that might exist between the
sections.
THE LAND BILL.
The Senate substitute lard bill came
up as a special order in the House
again this morning. 4 discussion
arose over an amendment of
Mr. GarwoCd to strike out the lease feat
ure of the bill on the ground that 1t was
unCODstitutiOL 81. Tuose supporting this
amendment read and commented upon
the constitutional provisions that relate
to the sale of the public school lands, but
made 10 provisions for the lease Uf these
lands. In these arguments distinction
was shown between the public school
lands and the lands granted TO the coun-
ties for school purposes. In the latter it
was clsmed that the state had vested the
absolute title in the counties with the
additional right to sell or lease at their
option, but in the former the
state reserved the lands for sale only un-
less some special grant was conveyed for
speCisl purposes. The journal of the
constitutional convention that framed the
present constitution was referred TO as
authority for the arguments, and ex-
tracts were read to show tbst the
constitutional convention voted down the !
proposition to lease the public school |
lands and to place the proceeds to the use
of the available school fund consequently |
the attempt of the present Legislature to |
pass lease law as a means Cf swelling |
the available school fund WAS Clearly Op- !
posed to the intention Of the provisions |
of the constitution as intended by its |
trainers.
IS a further argument it was claimed |
that the object of the state shcdld be to |
open up the agricultural lands within her !
borders for actual settlement, and al |
lands that are found to be not adapted to |
cultivation should be sold in such guam
tirles sc would make them durable for |
gazing purposes and place the proceeds |
to the credit of the available public .
school funds, and if these lands were !
sold on time the interest on the purchase !
money Woald be greater than the amount
Of lease money received from the acreage |
under the lease system.
The House resumed the discussion Of the |
land bin at its evening session. The OPP !
ponents to the GsrWood amendment, in |
their arguments, traYersed the ground |
occupied by the movers Of the amend |
ment, and claimed that the lease law was !
no Infringement upon the provisions OF |
the constitution providing for the sale of |
these lands, quoting Ex-Governor o. II. |